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The footballer Salwit Tongper happens to be the first confirmed swine flu case in Meghalaya. Director of Health Service, Meghalaya, K H Lakiang informed over phone from Shillong that Tongper was in England taking part in club soccer league there and landed up in Shillong on August 3.
He was admitted to isolation ward of Shillong Civil Hospital on August 8 after he had developed flu symptoms. His blood sample was sent for test at the designated laboratory in Kolkata on August 9 by the hospital authority.
"The test report that was received by us from Kolkata laboratory says that the soccer player has tested positive and the report that came today confirmed that he has been infected by H1N1 virus," the health official said adding the condition of the patient was stable and improving.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya health authority on Tuesday called an emergency meeting of all health officials from all districts to discuss measures to be taken in the wake of detection of swine flu cases as well as to prevent spread of the disease.
Isolation wards have been opened in three district civil hospitals at Shillong, Jawai and Tura in the hill state with special out patient departments to treat people with influenza symptoms.
General OPDs have been separated from flu OPDs to prevent easy spread of the virus. Meghalaya has a stock of 8,000 tamiflu tablets while more test kits are being brought.